Ice storm 2013: Rob Ford’s request for an urgent meeting rejected by Kathleen Wynne
Mayor Rob Ford is calling for a one-on-one meeting with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne about ice-storm compensation “as soon as possible,” noting he is the “elected head” of Toronto city council.
Ford says he reached out to the premier Tuesday and asked for an urgent meeting about the ice storm and the $171 million in damages from 2013’s flooding and ice storm.
“The ball now is in the province’s court,” he said.
At Queen’s Park, Wynne’s office denied Ford’s request.
MORE ON THESTAR.COM
Aging Toronto Hydro system fell short during ice storm
Ford and councillor Karen Stintz have heated words over ice storm management
“Premier Wynne has met and will continue to meet with Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who represents Toronto city council,” said Kelly Baker, the premier’s press secretary.
Baker added that Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey is handling the disaster relief and dealing with requests for assistance.
Jeffrey is meeting with municipal leaders Friday in Mississauga after Mayor Hazel McCallion called for a “co-ordinated response during extreme weather events” to ensure “consistent messaging.”
Wynne has steadfastly refused to meet with Ford, now a titular mayor after being stripped of most of his powers by city council in November in the wake of the crack cocaine scandal.
The premier has underscored that by repeatedly meeting with Kelly, with whom she was in constant contact during the ice storm.
The Ontario Progressive Conservatives have charged that Wynne was playing politics with the ice storm by shunning Ford. Over the Christmas holidays, Ford held daily news conferences about the progress of the cleanup.
